GBI Investigates Officer Involved Shooting in DeKalb County

UPDATE:

DeKalb County, GA (December 27, 2021) - The man involved in this OIS has been identified as Benny Antonio Hood, age 30, of Atlanta.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

DeKalb County, GA (December 24, 2021) –  The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in DeKalb County, GA.  The DeKalb County Police Department asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on Friday, December 24, 2021.  One man has died.  No officers were injured.

Preliminary information indicates that at 1:04 p.m., a Walmart Loss Prevention Officer at the Walmart on Gresham Road, DeKalb County, Georgia made contact with a man who had been putting items in a large backpack and who had attempted to leave the store without paying for the items.  A DeKalb County P.D. officer working an off-duty job and another DeKalb County P.D. officer attempted to make contact with the man as he was walking out of the store.  The man ran back into the store and police officers and the loss prevention officer followed.  The man drew a handgun and fired at the police officers and loss prevention officer.  During the incident, an officer attempted to tase the man.  The man ran outside of the store, holding the gun. During the incident, an officer fired his gun, hitting the man.  The man died on scene. 

The deceased man’s identity is not being released at this time while pending an official identification and next of kin notification. 

The GBI investigation is active and ongoing.  Once the investigation is done, the casefile will be given to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office for review.